


Pressure Relief

by Goddess47



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Remix, don't fret too hard on that MCD tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:47:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26719282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goddess47/pseuds/Goddess47
Summary: Evan had one dying regret...
Relationships: Regulus Black/Evan Rosier
Kudos: 28
Collections: Remix Revival 2020





	Pressure Relief

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xslytherclawx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/gifts).
  * Inspired by [the pressure is getting to me (i'm still breathing)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24582211) by [xslytherclawx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/pseuds/xslytherclawx). 



> To xslytherclawx, I hope I've done your story justice... but Evan spoke to me when I first met him and demanded to tell his side of the story.
> 
> And thanks to **melagan** for the look over and telling my my tenses were all over the place! ;-)
> 
> To readers looking askance at the "MCD" tag, you need to know I firmly believe in happy endings!

_Now..._

As the green light sped toward Evan, he had one regret.

He had never kissed Reg.

~*~*~

_Then..._

Regulus was coming! To spend the day! Without his mother!

Evan was giddy and all but bouncing off the walls. Not that he would. It wasn't _proper_. But his heart was racing and he couldn't suppress the huge smile on his face.

Being the eldest son, and almost fifteen, Father had given him basic access to the wards for the Manor. So he knew the moment that Regulus came onto the property.

He was here! He was here! Evan walked around his room in circles.

Then he panicked. He was a Pure Blood and he needed to act better than that! He grabbed a textbook and threw himself on the bed. Merlin! The Transfiguration book was upside down. Just as he got it upside right, Regulus walked into his room.

As Regulus stood in the doorway, Evan couldn't help but notice how _good_ Regulus looked. He must have put on some of his best robes before coming over. Of course, being a Black, Regulus would never look poorly in public, but since they shared a dorm room, Evan had seen Reg dressed down and in... comfortable clothes.

Then the panic ramped up and made him stupid. Evan said the first thing that came to mind. “Is there anything more _dull_ than trying to do homework when it’s a perfect day for flying?” 

He wanted to hit himself over his head with the textbook. He hadn't even gotten off the bed to greet Reg properly. 

When Reg didn't reply, Evan babbled on. “Lucky for me, now that you’re here, Father can’t protest if our _guest_ asks to go flying.”

That was the right thing to say, evidently. The stiffness went out of Reg's spine and he readily agreed to flying.

Evan babbled about Quidditch as they made their way to the pitch on the grounds. He knew it wasn't as nice as the pitch on the Black property, but Reg had never seemed to mind it before. 

"You can leave your outer robes here," Evan offered. "They're too nice to fly in."

Reg looked down at himself in some surprise. "Oh. Right! Thanks!" Evan pointed to some hooks Reg could use to hang the robes. 

"There's some flying gear that should fit," Evan offered. "If you want..."

"Good idea," Reg replied. He dug through the small pile and found a jacket that mostly fit and some gloves. 

Evan pulled on his flying gear. He grabbed his broom and saw that Reg had found the Nimbus he had used when he had been here before.

Up in the air, they threw the Quaffle around for a while. Since they were both on the Quidditch team, this was a practice drill they were used to, even with just the two of them. After a while, they slipped into a more competitive mode, fighting for the Quaffle.

Evan didn't mind the physical contact, giving as good as he got from Reg. At one point he had an arm wrapped around Reg, trying to reach the Quaffle. Reg finally wrested it away and scored a goal.

They called it quits when they were both exhausted and sweaty. The House Elves brought them lemonade and biscuits and they inhaled everything. They cast a Scourgify on each other to clean up somewhat.

Evan kept waiting for Reg to say he needed to leave but when Reg didn't say anything he forged on. 

Evan took the last biscuit and Reg protested. 

"Hey! I was going to eat that!" Reg said.

Evan held it up. "Come and take it, then!" he challenged. He was surprised when Reg leapt at him and they started to wrestle for the biscuit. Reg grabbed the biscuit and Evan wrapped both arms around Reg to stop him from eating it.

Evan finally pinned Reg to the ground, although the biscuit was mostly crumbs at that point. Evan sat on Reg's hips and had both of the other boy's arms pinned to the ground.

Then Reg stopped moving. That was usually the end of the match, but Evan was loathe to leave the warm body under him. Evan started to lean in, to... Merlin! He was about to kiss Reg! Here in the open, where anyone could see them.

Without another thought, Evan scrambled to his feet and offered Reg a hand up. They stood there panting for a moment.

"Thought Seekers were meant to be quick," Reg teased.

That summer, Reg came to see Evan more than he ever had. Reg admitted at one point that his Father had pretty much directed Reg to visit Evan regularly. Neither boy knew what was behind that. Evan only knew he got to spend all the time he wanted with Reg.

It was the best summer. 

Until he overheard his parents talking late one night. They thought he had gone off to bed, but he had fallen asleep in a niche in the Library. Their voices woke him.

~*~*~

"It's too bad about the Black's," Celandine said to her husband. "Walburga's in quite the snit."

"Are you still on that?" Padgett Rosier replied, shaking the paper he was trying to read.

"It's just so sad," she sighed. "Walburga is furious about what the boy did."

"Not our problem!" Padgett replied firmly.

"But going to the Potter's instead of settling down with a proper Pure Blood witch is an affront to the entire family," Celandine went on.

"They have Cygnus and Druella to blame for that," Padgett huffed. "Allowing Narcissa to marry that Malfoy boy was their first mistake. Marrying for love, indeed!"

"I knew Sirius was... headstrong, but telling him that he was to marry Bellatrix before the contracts were signed was a mistake we will not make," Celandine said. 

"When it comes time, Evan and Felix will do what is necessary," Padget said firmly. 

"Good to know," Celandine nodded.

~*~*~

Evan knew he had to tell Reg, since Reg obviously did not know what was going on. He had mentioned once that Sirius had left but didn't know why. It didn't seem like a big deal to Reg.

Evan recounted the conversation to Reg the next day. He watched as Reg got pale for a moment. They both understood that since Sirius had escaped Walburga's thumb, that Reg now would be the focus of those plans.

"Bella is terrifying," Reg admitted softly. "I stay away from her whenever she's around."

"You could say no?" Evan floated.

Reg looked up, appalled. "I... I can't," he whispered. "I have no other choice."

“Father said your mother’s got something else in store for you. No idea what that is, but I’m sure it’s not marrying Bellatrix. When the time comes, your mother will probably set you up with some boring girl with a good bloodline and expect you to uphold the family line on your own.” Evan warned him. “At least I’ve got Felix to carry on the family line with me; I can’t tell you how relieved I was when he was born a boy and I realized I no longer had to shoulder all those expectations on my own.”

But Reg had no one. He would be the only heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black.

Evan gave into impulse and wrapped both arms firmly around Reg. They sat entwined until Reg had to go home for dinner. Evan didn't want to let him go.

They both waited for something else to happen that summer, but nothing did. Reg came over regularly -- although Evan never went to the Black Manor -- they flew, played Quidditch, hung out with Barty Crouch, and did homework. The wrestling never stopped but Evan was careful to not take it as far as he did that first time. As much as he wanted to.

On the train to Hogwarts, Evan noticed that something about Reg had changed. Reg was polite but formal with everyone, even him and Barty. 

Evan realized that he had lost his friend. Oh, they'd be friendly and they'd room together. But Reg had another destiny starting from this moment, one that didn't include Evan Rosier. 

Evan took that one night to mourn what could have been. The next morning he became Regulus Black's staunchest supporter. Anyone that tried to insult Regulus behind his back had to deal with Evan. Anyone talking about Sirius was hexed into silence.

Between Regulus' overt attacks on anyone who tried to belittle him and Evan's behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Regulus maintained his position as the _Prince_ of Slytherin.

~*~*~

As they pack up their room for the last time, Evan saw Regulus take a deep breath. He turned to face Evan.

Alone, away from the rest of Slytherin, _Reg_ said quietly, "Thank you."

Evan nodded.

The moment passed and they went back to their packing.

~*~*~

Padgett Rosier dedicated his life and his eldest son to The Cause. Evan wasn't as convinced about the rightness of the Cause, but his obedience was _expected_.

He saw Regulus across the room at a meeting. One time. The only -- relatively -- good news he had was that Regulus never was forced to marry Bellatrix. Even a low-level soldier like him could see Bellatrix's fixation on The Dark Lord. 

Then Regulus disappeared. No one would talk about him and Evan couldn't take the risk to ask.

~*~*~

_Now_

The green light struck Evan in the chest and he has one last glimpse of Moody looking smug.

Evan fell into blackness.

Then he opened his eyes. 

"Where am I?" Evan asked.

"Hecate's gardens," Regulus Black's voice said behind him. 

Evan spun to see his friend. 

"Hecate's gardens?" Evan asked. _What?_

Regulus -- no, _Reg_ \-- shrugged his shoulders. "Evidently we made a mess of things and Zir told me we're being punished in the afterlife. Although I've heard there are worse things so, while we weren't good, we evidently weren't all that bad," he said with a grin. "I've been on garden duty since I got here."

"I wondered what happened to you," Evan said. 

Reg strode up to his friend and put both arms around him, holding him tight. Evan returned the hug just as tightly.

"It's a long story, but we have plenty of time," Reg said. "Come with me."

"Always," Evan promised.


End file.
